What is fibrocystic disease? Does it increase the risk of developing breast cancer?
Fibrocystic breast disease is a term which refers to a variety of changes in the breast tissue resulting from abnormal responses to hormonal stimulation. It is a very common condition which can appear as early as adolescence, but seldom develops after menopause. Many scientists do not like the label fibrocystic breast disease, because it can include a number of conditions which look and behave quite differently. They prefer to use the categories of non-proliferative and proliferative breast disease. Non-proliferative breast disease includes simple breast cysts as well as fibrosis. One study did find an increased incidence of breast cancer in women with breast cysts larger than 1 cm, but only if they also had a positive family history of breast cancer in a first degree relative. However, most experts agree that non-proliferative breast disease (including cysts and fibrous changes) is not associated with any increased risk for the development of breast cancer. Proliferative benign breast
